Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Understanding The Highly Original Ressence Type 7 GMT (Incl. Video)
The Belgian brand is ready to explore the world with it's latest, full titanium creation.
It’s not every day we get to see a new Ressence, but in the past decade and a half, the brand has carved out an impressive reputation for originality and creativity. And in all honesty, it really is one of the most original brands around, with a unique take on how to display time. Especially the oil-filled watches, such as the Type 3 and Type 5, have enamoured our hearts. The distortion-free two-dimensional display set in oil now serves as the foundation of the brand’s latest watch, the Type 7 GMT. And while it might not be the most practical travel watch, it is one of the most original ones!
Not too long ago, we sat down with founder Benoît Mintiens to talk about the origins and evolution of Ressence, and what the future would hold. We also focused on the oil-filled Type 3 and Type 5, as those two set Ressence apart from every other watchmaker even more than the highly original orbital display of time found across all its watches. This goes back to the Type Zero, and runs through to this very latest watch, the Type 7 GMT. The concept revolves around an ever-changing display of orbital indications. During the day, the dial is ever-changing, thanks to the patented ROCS system, or Ressence Orbital Convex System. The virtually two-dimensional display is made possible thanks to seamlessly integrated discs for several indications, set into a main disc.
One of the milestone watches is the Type 3, which removed the crown but was also the very first oil-filled mechanical watch in the world. This presented a distortion-free display in a pebble-shaped case thanks to clever engineering, innovation and use of materials. Through time, this evolved into the Type 5, the brand’s diver, and now the new Type 7 GMT. This unique display, which is the red line through everything Ressence does, has become more than just a design cue. It has become the DNA for Ressence, or as Benoit puts it, it has become the brand.
It starts with a 41mm wide grade 5 titanium case, which has a rather muted look thanks to brushed surfaces. Here and there, it’s offset with polished bevels, but overall it looks rather sleek and almost like a proper tool watch. On top, the double-domed sapphire crystal covers the dial, with a convex bezel to seamlessly merge the flat top of the case with the curvature of the crystal. Around the back, the Type 7 GMT has a new style construction, with a locking outer ring and a setting/winding inner disc. The use is fairly simple, and on the wrist, the Type 7 GMT wears very comfortably.
Ressence introduces two colours from the get-go: Night Blue, or Aquamarine. The Night Blue iteration you can see here comes with a fixed ceramic bezel, while the Aquamarine has an aluminium one. The display for both is identical, with the largest white hand indicating the minutes on the fixed bezel. The largest of the three subdials tells you the hours, while also showing you the operating temperature of the oil inside. The other two subdials are the running indicator with shock absorber, and the GMT indication, with a 24-hour scale and a red triangular pointer. And being a Ressence of course, the whole construction rotates during the day!
As ever with an oil-filled Ressence, the movement and dial are separated in individual compartments. The base movement is a modified ETA, which sits in air, very much like a normal movement would. The minute staff transmits the drive to the magnetic transmission, which in turn matches with the compatible magnetic transmission on the other compartment. This then drives the hands and indications, which are all floating in oil. A special below system ensures there are no issues with changes in pressure due to the expanding or contracting oil. It’s all very clever and unlike anything in the industry!
Setting it comes down to a specific sequence of manipulations of the caseback. First, you rotate the outer ring by rotating it counter-clockwise, which unlocks the centre section. You can now begin setting the Type 7 GMT. You turn the caseback centre counter-clockwise until you hit the winding section. You then rotate the caseback centre back and forth over a 10-minute section, which kick-starts the automatic movement inside. Ressence claims this is a better way to breathe life into your mechanical Type 7 GMT instead of shaking it. The next step is to exit the winding section and set the time by rotating the centre section of the caseback counterclockwise. A full rotation of the caseback adds one hour to the display. Once set, you turn the caseback the other way to adjust the GMT subdial. Then you set the minutes by rotating it counterclockwise again. All motions are mirrored on the dial side, of course, which takes some time to get used to. Once you’ve figured it out, though, it’s quite easy.
A final thing must be said about the Type 7 GMT’s practicality. Normally, a GMT indication is adjustable through the crown or a pusher, but in this case, it isn’t. You need to take the watch off to adjust it if needed, which is a bit impractical. And if you’re really nit-picking, it’s more a Dual Time indication than a GMT display. Regardless, the display befits the brand perfectly, and the orbital system and oil-filled chamber make it impossible to add a corrector or pusher to the caseband.
The Type 7 GMT is also the first Ressence with a bracelet, and it integrates neatly into the case. Of course, this too is machined from titanium and comes with a micro-adjustable folding clasp. The Midnight Blue edition is part of the permanent collection, while the Aquamarine is presented as an 80-piece limited edition. Both come at a price of CHF 36,000, excluding VAT. All in all, it is a wonderful adaptation of the brilliant concept by Ressence. It combines clever engineering with very original watchmaking.
For more information, please visit RessenceWatches.com.
